Synagogue Overview

Beth Shalom Synagogue – Baton Rouge, LA

“A Reform Shul That Honors Tradition.”

Beth Shalom Synagogue is a Reform congregation and a member of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). We are a “family style” shul with a hamish, relaxed atmosphere. Our joy in expressing our Judaism is exponentially increased when shared with our congregational family. The essence of our shul family is truly the sum of the uniqueness and diversity of our members.

Friday Night Bat Mitzvah Service

Understanding Beth Shalom’s past is essential to appreciating our shul today. In 1945, Liberal Synagogue was established by nineteen families who envisioned a home for traditional Judaism in Baton Rouge. Our founding families hoped to establish a Bet Tefillah, a house of worship, where Jews of varied backgrounds could find a spiritual home. Twenty five years later, and shortly after moving into the current Jefferson Highway location, Liberal Synagogue adopted a Hebrew name and became, Beth Shalom, House of Peace. Since our founding, Beth Shalom has been committed to a substantive, learned and deeply spiritual vision of Reform Judaism. For more than half a century, Beth Shalom has been committed to perpetuating our founders’ vision of a “Reform Congregation that Honors Tradition.”

Hamotzi – Blessing over the bread

Beth Shalom is most certainly a Bet Midrash, a house of study. Our Beth Shalom family is a community devoted to lifelong Jewish learning, and to living lives enriched by Torah. Our 135 member families also rely on the synagogue to be a Bet Knesset, a house of meeting. The shul’s activities are far more extensive than might be expected for a congregation of its size. Our building is a perennial buzz of activity for members of all age. Our synagogue embodies the ritual and ceremonial warmth of our Jewish traditions while serving as the center for communal worship, life-cycle events, educational programming, activities and meetings for congregants of all ages.

We look forward to welcoming you to Beth Shalom Synagogue, and sharing the many distinctive features of our congregational life. Please join us for Shabbat evening or morning worship, or just stop by for a tour of our facilities, including our recently renovated sanctuary and our preschool program. Whatever the configuration of your family – one, two or more – we look forward to meeting you and welcoming you into this unique southern Jewish family.